Early in the morning upon arising when i was reciting my affirmations, i was thinking of a topic that I would be posting on my blog... Since it is a traditional week for a lot of people, celebrating the "Holy Week", I told myself that it is timely to tackle on the Passion of the Christ... so i started searching the web for topics about it... Good thing I remembered the song of Darrel Evans entitled REDEEMER, SAVIOUR, FRIEND, which goes...
Every stripe upon Your battered back
And every thorn that pierced Your brow
Every nail drawn deep through guiltless hands
Said that Your love knows no end
Redeemer Savior Friend
So I decided to post a topic about the CROWN OF THORNS worn by the KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS...
CROWN
Crown is derived from two Greek words; stephanos—primarily means “that which surrounds as a wall or crowd,” and the Greek word stepho—which means “to encircle,” and denotes the victor’s (winner’s) crown. Crowns are usually woven as a garland of oak, ivy, parsley, myrtle, or olive, or in imitation of these in gold. A crown is the symbol of triumph in the games or some such contest—a reward or prize, “a token of public honor” for distinguished service, military prowess, etc., or festal gladness, especially at the personal presentation of kings.
Throughout the Holy Bible a crown stands as an emblem of life, joy, reward and glory for those who believe in God the Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. To be crowned confirms a person’s standing as the glory and honor God bestowed upon man in regard to his position in creation. “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of thy hands” (Hebrews 2:7). Faith in God gives the believer the victory, God has given us the honor and glory our obligation is to justify the gifts of God.
THORNS
That thorns denote the falsities of concupiscences, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:--Upon the land of My people cometh up thorn and brier (Isa. 32:13);the land denotes the church; the thorn and brier denote falsities, and the consequent evils. Again:--As for your spirit, a fire shall consume you, so the peoples shall be burned into lime, as thorns cut down that are kindled with fire (Isa. 33:11, 12); the thorns that are kindled with fire denote falsities which break into Same, and consume truths and goods.
In Ezekiel:--There shall be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a thorn causing grief (Ezek. 28:24); a pricking brier denotes falsity of the concupiscences of the love of self; a thorn, falsity of the concupiscences of the love of the world.
In Hosea:--Your mother hath played the harlot; therefore I hedge up thy way with thorns, and she shall not find her paths (Hosea 2:5, 6); ways and paths denote truths; and thorns, falsities in place of truths. The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thistle and the thorn shall come up on their altars (Hosea 10:8); the thistle and the thorn denote evil and falsity that lay waste the goods and truths of worship. In David:--They compassed me about like bees; they go out like a fire of thorns (Ps. 118:12); a fire of thorns denotes the concupiscence of evil.
In Matthew:-- By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matt. 7:16); gathering grapes of thorns denotes deriving the goods of faith and of charity from the falsities of concupiscences. Grapes denote these goods.
In Mark:--Other seed fell among thorns, but the thorns came up, and choked it, that it yielded no fruit. They that are sown among the thorns, are they that hear the word; but the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the concupiscences of other things entering In, choke the word, so that it becometh unfruitful (Mark 4:7, 18, 19); here there is explained what is meant by being sown among thorns, thus what by thorns. The same is signified by sowing among thorns, and reaping thorns,
In Jeremiah:-- Thus said Jehovah to the man of Judah, and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns (Jer. 4:3).They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns (Jer. 12:13). [9] The falsities of concupiscences, which are signified by thorns, are falsities which confirm those things which are of the world and its pleasures, for more than all other falsities these take fire and blaze up, because they are from those concupiscences in the body which are felt; wherefore also they close the internal man, so that there is no appreciation of that which concerns the salvation of the soul, and eternal life.
In the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John “the Crown of Thorns” is used as a means of mockery and taunting of Jesus. At first sight this might be taken as an alternative for “a kingly crown,” but considering the blasphemous character of that episode, and the materials used obviously the only noble part was the person wearing the crown. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9).
Little did the tormentors, betrayers and murderers of our Savior know of the glory and honor that Jesus would receive as a reward for his suffering, death, burial and resurrection. There was no mention of the “crown of life,” but God made a spectacle of the enemies of Jesus at the Cross of Calvary. It is here the Crown of Thorns represents Divine triumph, as Jesus stands on the right hand of God. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Focus on What You Have
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one
to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils
under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his
heritage”
(Ecclesiastes 5:18, NKJV)
TODAY’S WORD from
Joel and Victoria
The scripture talks about how God has given us the power
to enjoy what is allotted and appointed to us. That simply means that I don’t
have the power to enjoy your life. You may have more success, more money, more
friends or a better job, but if you put me in your life, I’m not going to enjoy
it. We are uniquely designed to run our own race.
When we truly understand and embrace this, we won’t be
tempted to compare or wish we had what someone else has. You won’t think, “If
only I had their talent...” No, if God wanted you to have that talent, He would
have given it to you. Instead, take what you have and develop it. Make the most
of it. Don’t think, “If only I had her looks...” No, God gave you your looks.
That’s not an accident. The life you have has been perfectly matched for you.
Now, you’ve got to do your part and get excited about
your life. Be excited about who you are — your looks, your talent, your
ability, your personality. When you’re passionate about who you are, it brings honor
to God. That’s when God will breathe in your direction and the seeds of
greatness in you will take root and begin to flourish!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I thank You for giving me the gifts, talents and
abilities to enjoy life and accomplish Your will. Today I choose to put my
trust and hope in You knowing that You have equipped me for the destiny You
have for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen
source:
No comments:
Post a Comment